The prior art includes primarily carrying cases for toiletries which include dental, as well as other general hygiene supplies and smaller travel kits for dental supplies. The present invention is totally unique from these types of inventions in its form and functionality. First I will describe the prior art because it has a bearing on the dental hygiene field, then I will explain how nothing in the prior art comes close to the current invention's form and function. Each of the inventions in the prior art has at least one element of the current invention, but none has enough elements to even compare to the current invention which makes the current invention a totally new dental hygiene carrying system.
There are several previous inventions related to carrying cases for toiletries in general and some have compartment that are large enough to hold dental hygiene supplies. Inventions of these types include Stanfield U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,924 which includes a carrying case and allows ease of opening the case and keeps the objections stationary. This invention is not specific to dental supplies however. Also, this invention allows little flexibility for the user to define which supplies they choose. Also Schlaszus U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,307 is another example of a toiletry case with various compartments that is good for travel. It is not specific to dental care, nor does it give flexibility to the user as the compartments are preset.
Simister U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,732 is an example of a carrying case that is designed specifically for dental hygiene supplies. Although it has compartments and some flexibility for the user; it is shaped more like a bottle which makes it distinctly different from the current invention as the current invention has a box-like shape. Simister U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,732 has a shape that makes it easier to hold than some other inventions; however the present invention has a revolutionary design that makes it easy to carry and adds the element of organization that is lacking in Simister U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,732.
Another carrying case designed specifically for dental supplies is Wright U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,253. This case has several sections for dental supplies but does not seem to accommodate the types of dental supplies currently on the market with the various compartments. Also Wright U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,253 does not have the design components of the present invention which make it easy to carry. These are specific features the present invention has overcome.
Also, in the last several years, patents have been submitted that try to store the supplies in as small a unit as possible, such as Bodwalk U.S. Pat. No. 6,526,991 claiming a dental hygiene kit that is the size of a writing pen and also US Patent Application US2004/0107524 Kazmi which also has a latch so that it can attach to a shirt pocket. Manfredi U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,574 claims a small travel size compact kit. These patents try to make the case small enough to fit into small spaces such as a purse or even a pocket for traveling, which are good goals for their particular inventions. The present invention does not seek to fit into this type of design and is totally unique in its construction. The current invention can be used as a travel kit, but that is not its primary function, therefore it does not seek to make the case small, but rather seeks to provide ample space for dental hygiene supplies and make the process of teeth brushing organized and enjoyable by providing elements of organization when the user stores the carrying case in the holster device. The present invention is not seeking to provide any unit that is so small that the user would even call it a compact travel kit. The user may choose to travel with the present invention even though it is larger than most travel kits, because the user may like the other features of the present invention as mentioned in the claims.
Lastly, in the prior art there are some units that have components that attach to a wall. These types of inventions allow sanitation of toothbrushes and allow organization such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,296 that holds four toothbrushes on a wall unit and Harris U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,743 that holds a single toothbrush and also attaches to a wall unit and can be removed for travel. These patents offer the organization for single toothbrushes and allow the user to get their toothbrush easily, but it lacks the organization of the entire supplies needed to brush teeth that the present invention supplies. These types of inventions also do not come near to having elements of the present invention, but are worth mentioning in prior art.
No one, to the inventor's knowledge, has combined a carrying case that has a stationary holster that can be placed on a wall, wall unit, locker, desk or desktop, or other such place the user determines and is made specifically for the carrying case for the dental hygiene carrying case. There were many attempts to find this prior art, but not could be found.
In the prior art there are dental kits and dental cases that seek to meet various objectives but none that provide the user with a carrying case with ample room for their dental supplies, with the layout and design components that have been attained in the present invention, along with a holster unit to allow the user to attach the carrying case to their designated space. The components of the present invention make it unique from all the prior art in its form and function such that it is considered a new and unique carrying case and holster system.